1. Technical Field
This invention relates to heat exchanger and air conditioner condenser units. More specifically, the present invention relates to an environmentally adaptive construction for the external unit of a HVAC unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional heat exchange units are generally round or square in shape. They are configured with a set of heat exchanger coils surrounding the compressor and blower units. As such, the configuration of the coils define the shape of the unit as a whole. Most coil structures include fins for providing increased heat dissipation surface to the coil structure. The increased surface area enhances the cooling effect of the coil structure and allows the heat exchange unit to achieve the desired efficiency and output. The fins are generally soldered onto the coil structure to become permanently affixed thereto. The process of soldering fins to the coil structure is cumbersome and expensive. Accordingly, it is desirable to design a novel coil structure for a heat exchange unit that eliminates the need for soldering fins to the coil structure.
In addition to the design of the coil structure for efficiency and output purposes, it is also desirous to design a heat exchange unit that will not be an intrusive structure to the facility it is cooling. For example, most commercial and residential heat exchange units are situated in a rectangular or circular shaped container, which are placed adjacent to the structure they are cooling. A larger building will require a larger compressor unit and/or multiple units to sufficiently cool the interior spaces of the facility. It is often difficult to place external units in a location in relation to a building where the presence of the unit will not be intrusive. This can present obstacles to the full and effective use of the exterior spaces of a structure. In addition, large units are not only visually intrusive but can also create significant unwanted noise levels. Accordingly, it is therefore desirable to overcome the limitations of the prior art and to provide a unit which is efficient and has a camouflage appearance so as not to be directly noticeable to passers by.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an environmentally adaptive external unit for an HVAC system which will blend visually with the surroundings while providing efficient and effective heat exchange.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an external HVAC unit which can be used to architecturally enhance the exterior of a structure. The unit includes a compressor to compress a refrigerant, a blower for circulating air over a coil structure and for circulating air through the housing, and a tube for delivering the compressed refrigerant to a heat exchanger tube. The heat exchanger tube is longitudinal and is mounted vertically to an exterior surface of the base of the housing. The heat exchanger tube includes a plurality of liners extending vertically from the base. The coiled structure is wrapped spirally about an exterior surface of an interior liner to provide a cooling surface.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method of cooling an enclosed structure. A housing is provided for storing a compressor and a blower. A vertical heat exchange tube structure is mounted on a top exterior surface of the housing. The tube includes an interior liner with a coil structure wrapped spirally about its exterior surface. A compressed refrigerant is delivered from the compressor to the heat exchange tube to dissipate heat.
Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.